Africa Internet Governance Forum 2020

Zoom Link: https://afigf2020-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkceCrpjMiE9O4VO10mnAhfRheixOVVqdA

Digital Opportunities for Youth During & Post COVID19

The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) is a multi-stakeholder forum for policy dialogue on issues of Internet governance. The forum is held in an informal setting, free from binding negotiations. It brings together all stakeholders from government, private sector, technical community, academia and civil society to discuss Internet governance issues on an equal footing through an open and inclusive process. The IGF has been held annually since 2006 and Kenya hosted the Global IGF in 2011. This type of cooperative engagement is referred to as the multi-stakeholder model of Internet Governance, which is one of the key features for the Internet’s success.
This model is paramount to ensuring that the Internet remains sustainable for economic and social development. The IGF is a unique platform for all stakeholders to openly exchange perspectives and concerns on key issues that may affect the future of the Internet for millions of youth across the African Continent. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven the necessity and power of digital technologies. While this unknown and dangerous health threat has locked schools across the world, prevented people from going to work or working at all, and forced families and friends to stay apart, it is the Internet that has enabled many to continue pursuing education, working and while physically distancing, maintain socially interacting.
However, the COVID-19 prompted increase in the use of online technologies has exacerbated many digital policy related issues and even more illustrated the widening gap between the connected and unconnected ones. For example, it even elevated the issues related to online security and safety, data protection and utilization, as well as freedoms and rights on the Internet. Further, digital and gender-based divide, as well as online segregation and discrimination of various marginalized groups has been at the forefront of many digital policy processes for years
African Youth IGF is a youth-led structure to build the capacity for organizing, mobilizing and advocating for meaningful inclusion and engagement of young people in the African IGF in partnership with industry stakeholders to address key Internet issues. The African Youth IGF was officially launched in N'djamena Chad in September 2019 by the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union, H.E Quartey Thomas Kwesi during the 8th session of the African IGF. This year, African Youth is scheduled for November 24, 2020 and the outcomes will feed into the ninth Annual Meeting of the African Internet Governance Forum which will be hosted online by the African Union from 25 - 27 November 2020.
This year’s African IGF Youth aims at serving as an interactive discussion platform for organized youth participation from all regions to bring up their ideas and concerns. The Forum will further create opportunities for networking, collaboration and creating long-term partnerships between National Youth IGF structures and the community.